Final Sacrifice
by Hope and Perseverance
Summary: The price to save one's family and love, and it all started with one little flash drive of secrets. How far will Skye go to right the wrongs that Ward has done...or thought he has done?
1. Chapter 1 - Mistaken

Final Sacrifice

Author's Note: So this is a bit of AU for some of Ward's history and the finale; the timeline was dragged out for a couple days instead of the "hours" that the last episodes of the season portrayed. It was a new idea that popped into my head to explore. Garrett was never injected with the serum in this story. Reviews welcome. Enjoy!

**Chapter 1: Mistaken**

"Skye…"

She glanced up from her laptop, the bags under eyes forming. She had been monitoring the HYDRA base computers around the world after having a Trojan horse successfully plugged into an underground Cybertek facility. It's been a long couple days with little to no sleep for everyone on the team, and Skye was no exception.

"I think before you continue with your Trojan monitoring, there's something you should see," Coulson solemnly said. His demeanor, one that was just of pure determination and anger at first towards HYDRA, Ward, and Garrett, had changed dramatically.

Skye knew Coulson long enough that if he's adamant about something, you better listen. Coulson just handed her one tiny flash drive and nodded before walking away to his new office at Providence base. Curiously, she halted her monitoring exercises and plugged in the flash drive.

And introductory screen read "Welcome to Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T."

There was only one folder on the drive, named "Untitled". Clicking the folder hesitantly, a swarm of pictures, spreadsheets, and video files flooded the screen. She quirked her brow and clicked on the first file, and gasped.

It was Grant Ward's juvenile detention mug shot from fifteen years ago. Next file was surveillance feed from the center. The image quality was a bit fuzzy, but the audio was clear.

(video feed #1)

"**I'm here to make you a onetime offer, so listen up," the voice of John Garrett sounded. "Your family's lawyer is going to be here in about 20 minutes. Not only are your folks pressing charges against you for arson and attempted murder, but your older brother petitioning the court to have you tried as an adult. Now, you can spend the next few years locked up in the cage blaming mommy and daddy and mean older brother for your problems, or…"**

**Junior Grant Ward looked up.**

"…**You can let me get you out of here and teach you how to be a man," Garrett finished. He dipped his head lower towards the younger Ward, whispering, "I work for a secret organization who's always looking to recruit young men like you."**

**Junior Ward smirked. "Why should I trust you?"**

**Garrett answered, obviously impressed, "You shouldn't. Don't trust anyone, ever, especially me. (pause) Let me be clear: going with me will be the hardest thing you've ever done, but on the other hand, no one will ever screw with you again."**

**Junior Ward fidgeted, obviously torn in his position. Garrett continued to challenge him. "Say yes; it'll hard, but it will be fun. Ten seconds and I'll walk out that door."**

**As the agonizing seconds wound down, junior Ward finally responded, "Yes."**

**At that instant, the doors burst open with guards and agents aiming their weapons high. "Don't move!"**

**All hell breaks loose, and Junior Ward could be scene frightfully ducking, as Garrett just sits back with his coffee.**

(end video feed #1)

_So that's how they met_, Skye thought. _He wasn't lying when he told me about his family…but that still doesn't excuse what he's done_.

She continued to comb through the files, her eyes finally trekking to a file named "Status Schedule".

A spreadsheet of dates starting from 1998 began appearing. Pictures and other surveillance feeds—how did Coulson even get this information—popped up all over the screen.

_**October 1998: Grant Ward recruited from Massachusetts Juvenile Hall**_

_**November 1998: Grant Ward's 5 year training begins: destination, Wyoming (100 km from Wasatch-Cache National Forest)**_

**The list went on and on. Skye uncomfortably shook her head as the list descended.**

_**March 2003: Grant Ward's introduction to HYDRA. No prior knowledge of what HYDRA nor SHIELD apparent. Enrolled in SHIELD academy beginning June.**_

_**June 2004: Loyalty to J. Garrett questioned. Therefore, Grant Ward's younger brother Elliot captured by Project **_**G.A.R.R.E.T.T**_**. No existing knowledge of brother's whereabouts prior (told to Grant Ward as a fatal car accident). Grant Ward has no other family except J. Garrett and HYDRA. Begin Loyalty Training.**_

Skye sat straight up. _Elliot was…captured? He's alive?_ She fingered through more of the files and the associated links to documents in the drive. It appeared that Ward had tried to find his younger brother when he first enrolled in the SHIELD academy, which quavered his loyalty to Garrett and his plans. So Garrett eliminated him—or rather, made Ward thought that Elliot was dead. He once again drove into Ward's mind that SHIELD didn't care, no one else cared – only he, Garrett cared. And that was enough to sway Ward to indefinitely follow him.

She continued to read and found that next date of interest.

_**March 20, 2013: Grant Ward assigned to infiltrate Coulson's new team. Team members consist of Melinda May, Phil Coulson, Leopold Fitz, and Jemma Simmons.**_

_**April 2013: Ward reports that a new non-SHIELD consultant joins the group. Name: Skye, no last name.**_

_**The list started getting longer. Each point, there was her name associated with it.**_

_**Unwittingly saves Skye from Malta mission….**_

_**Begins training Skye with combat…**_

_**Takes Skye out for first hangout….**_

_**Skye almost succeeds to deflecting G. W. from mission to take down Calvary – Dublin, Ireland**_

Skye snorts._ Of course. May was part of the mission_, she thought bitterly, before resuming a beginning of understanding. _But…he seriously was considering talking to me that night…and if wasn't the mission…_

.

.

.

_**September 2013: Second time that Grant Ward deflects his loyalty. Munich, Switzerland. Skye was ordered shot and in critical condition. Threatened J. Garrett with leaving HYDRA/J. Garrett if Skye was to be ever hurt again. Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T. resumes with Loyalty Training, promising to eliminate Skye if he doesn't stay. Grant Ward continues his role in HYDRA.**_

Tears welled up in Skye's eyes as she quickly brushes them off. Another glimpse of the man she knew.

Most of all, she gasped as she approached the last lines of the status report.

_**Termination Date: December 1, 2014**_

_**Reason for Termination: Project compromise via personal emotional attachments**_

_**Method of Termination: Firearm**_

_**Mode of Termination Communicated: His reward for service to Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T. **_

_Oh my god_, she thought.

They were going to execute Ward! As soon as his term of service was over, they were going to shoot him! Garrett captured his brother, to completely cover his tracks and make sure that he was sure that Garrett was his only family.

_THAT'S why Coulson was so—changed_, she thought, feeling her empathy rising. _He was just a pawn fooled into thinking that he had a debt to pay. Garrett rescued him, yes, but lying to him about his brother? His family? Just to create the perfect soldier? He was misguided for so long…and punished for disobeying him…._

_Someday…someday you'll understand…_ came Ward's voice in her head.

_I understand—you thought of him as your only family, Ward_, Skye thought. _You owed him. He made you believe that with him, you could be yourself and find a family. But this type of psychological torture?_

She knew how much remorse he felt with his little brother, knowing that he "died" without ever seeing him again, and how much he loved him; the hope that he's alive…?

More peeks of the man she had fallen for had to view in her mind. He wasn't the specialist who trained her, protected her, and cared for her. He was a broken man who was misguided, mistreated, and sought light through their one-on-one conversations with each other. She wonders if it was only those times that only and she talked were the times that he was being real with her…and himself.

**[My feelings]…they're real, Skye…they've always have been…**

Skye was barely containing a mixture of sadness and anger within herself by the time she finished. After combing through several more files, she made herself take several deep breaths and hurried off to find Coulson. There's something she needed to get off her chest.


	2. Chapter 2 - Misled

**Chapter 2: Misled**

Grant Ward thumbed over the black hard drive with the SHIELD logo on it. He was waiting in the HYDRA base (or rather, Cybertek) by the New Mexico/Mexico border to finish the next stages of engineering the GH325 serum for the super soldiers in Garrett's army. He wasn't aware of any of the activities that the 2 scientists in the lab were doing, and he didn't care. He just felt empty inside.

He remembered how casually Skye entrusted him the hard drive while in the Hub, right before HYDRA's big reveal and the end of his life as Agent Grant Ward, SHIELD agent. He remembered feeling free from the burden of playing two identities at the same time, but also feeling dreadful at how Skye and the rest of Coulson's team would react to his true identity.

He never witnessed Coulson's reaction, nor May's, nor FitzSimmons'…only Skye's. And hers was devastating enough. The pure hatred, sadness, and anger written on her face were enough to make his heart drop every time he recalled those hours with her. It was the last time he saw her before Coulson snuck in to the Bus and rescued her with Lola.

Ward sighed. This was it. This was the hard drive that highlighted his mission for the past 10 years, ever since he was enrolled with SHIELD and undercover with HYDRA, to save John Garrett. The man he knew to be the only family he has was dying, and as a family member, he couldn't let that happen. Ever since he heard Elliot died in a car accident when he first joined the Academy, he knew that John was the only solid family he had left. He couldn't let him die. Sure, John was very strict and many times inappropriately cruel in his actions towards him and his HYDRA team, but so what? He was family, and he had a mission.

But…Skye and Coulson's team, they were family too, and they made sure he knew that. And up through the HYDRA reveal in the Hub, he was starting to believe that maybe this was what it felt like to be a part of a _real_ family. One with a parental figure who would do anything for his kids, and a siblings who annoy the heck out of him but care and love for him when he needed them most. One with a guardian ninja who would protect their family from any harm, and would be a silent pillar of support.

And most of all, a girl who trusted him and cared for him like no other, his—as cheesy poetic as it sounds—his light in his darkness. He felt complete when he could be Agent Grant Ward and Skye could be—well, Skye. His Skye. The way she smirks at him, corners him in his own futile arguments, the way she makes him _want_ something more with her. It's a different want than what he feels with Garrett—that "want" feeling was approval, no looks of disappointment, and avoiding punishment, literally.

That "completeness" feeling he felt with Skye and the team was something he began willing to protect, just a little more time, before hell from HYDRA broke loose. All in all, he wished HYDRA didn't have to come out of the shadows—he never swore allegiance to the corrupt organization, but worked for it because of Garrett. He wished he could stay as Agent Grant Ward of SHIELD, just a little longer—hell, he would've been comfortable just staying that, as along as Garrett found another way to get the serum to save his life. That was just a mission—this is…family? But wasn't John family too, like he just thought?

And then there was Garrett's voice in his head.

**The straight version of you was your cover. You can never be that man. That man never existed.**

_They will never forgive me_, he thought. _If Skye hasn't, then they definitely haven't, and she understands me the most_.

Ward sighed again. There's no turning back now. It's too late. After he learned that it was Garrett who ordered Skye to be shot, he wanted out of his mission with HYDRA. No one, not even his father-figure, can lay a finger on Skye, his girl. But when Garrett threatened to truly kill her if he thought of leaving his mission and HYDRA, he had no other choice but to stay. For her safety, and for being able to keep watch on her—he would do anything to keep her safe.

That was his main goal now: keep her safe, even if it means she hates his guts. It's too late to save himself from the quagmire he's in, but at least it's not too late to save her, even if it's at a distance.

…

Skye ran into his office, eyes pleading with anger and sadness. Coulson wasn't surprised at her barging in, but he wore a look of shock as she plopped herself down on the chair in front of him with fierce determination. It was even more than their hunt of Quinn before their trip to Italy, before she was shot.

"Where did you get this?" she asked.

He continued watching her face for any more flinch of emotion, and sighed. "While you were plugging your flash drive to map the computers, I found it on the floor as we were fighting those Centipede soldiers. Seems that we got more than we bargained for."

She shifted her eyes downward, unsure of what else to say. "He—he wasn't lying about his family…"

Coulson agreed. "That much we know. I just hope that everything Garrett has instilled in him hasn't wiped out his own free will yet."

She moved in her seat and spoke, "Remember a long time ago, what you told me in Hong Kong after we escaped from Scorch?"

He smiled. "You can save someone from themselves if we get to them early enough."

"At first I didn't completely believe you," Skye started. "I was so used to moving around and having supposed 'families' leaving me that I thought I was a lost cause—no one to care, no one to believe in me, until you and the team. You gave me that second chance at a family, and I'm forever grateful. You made me believe that I could be a part of something, and that I could be loved and cared for." She brushed the wetness from her cheeks. "I just wonder if Ward ever got that same belief and care for him from Garrett. He sure as hell didn't get it from his family."

"Garrett is very capable of making you feel wanted in the beginning, but in my years of working with him, it's always been about personal gain in the end," Coulson said. "He would make sure that others knew that it was him and/or his team who completed an operation. You saw him recruiting Ward in juvie. And now…"

"…Ward was just another piece of completing his personal mission," she finished for him. "He was misled from the beginning in thinking he belonged, and he owed. [sat up straighter] We need to save him. We can't let him be used any more by Garrett, let alone get executed by the man he sees as a father-figure."

Coulson got up and sighed, sitting on his desk. "I just hope what we saw on the drive is all true, and no other secrets. I hope he really is just 'misled'. I still don't trust him."

"I don't trust everything he is either, but I can trust one thing," Skye asserted. "He loves his brother, Elliot. And deep down, I think he does care for us, our team, too. We need to show him that. Especially when he thinks his brother is dead, when he's clearly not, according to the files. We can free him from the path he thinks he has to take. And how many other HYDRA agents are also parts of Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T.? We need to stop this operation before it goes too far. It starts with Ward."

Coulson stepped over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know you're feeling guilty—"

"No, I'm not," Skye finished for him. "I want to start over. Once we finish taking down HYDRA, everyone here should start over. I'm not saying his actions were forgivable; I'm not saying to trust him or anything like that. But even starting in a correctional facility, where he can find a new purpose other than following blind orders and past hurts, is a start. Maybe after a long enough time (looks at Coulson), things can start looking new again. He can finally be the real Grant Ward again, whether or not serving as part of SHIELD."

"He was your SO; this was the toughest for you to handle," Coulson said. "You see the good in everyone. That's what make you, _you_."

"The world's never going to be the same for better or for worse. But even those with worse crimes the justice system gives them a chance. Maybe it's not just for them, but…also for me too."

Coulson was about to comment, but Skye's phone started to alarm. She quickly looked at it and scrolled through the screen. "I finally found the next base of mobilized operations for HYDRA. Looks like their computers show they're moving operations in the next 12 hours to another upgraded facility," she spoke, looking up at Coulson briefly. "They're in New Mexico."

He nodded at her and started walking towards the door. "We need to move. Now."

Skye nodded and pressed her phone shut, following suit. Ward's discussion will need to resume later; they have a mission to complete first.


	3. Chapter 3 - Misplaced

**Chapter 3: Misplaced**

**Author's note:** FYI, Deathlok doesn't appear in this story. I know some of you might be curious about why, but you'll see.

"Ward!"

Ward look up from his position in the lab where he's been spending his time the past several hours. His fingers were sweaty from helping packing for their facility move. He saw Garrett stalking over quickly, his voice bellowing, "We've got company!"

"Sir?"

"Someone's activated the defense mechanisms outside the base," Garrett continued, as he picked up a pistol from behind the counter. "And I think I know who it is. [released the safety] Let's go say hello to some of your old friends."

Ward's face remained indifferent, but internally, his stomach dropped. Irritation suddenly overtook his thoughts. _Why did they still come here? _He thought, though he knew the answer. _Please don't let it be them. Please don't. She can't be safely away if she's here… _

"Coulson and his team just broke through the back gates," one of the security guards informed Garrett after rushing in. "It'll just be a matter of minutes before they reach here and the basement."

"Doesn't matter where they're coming from…send all forces and GET RID OF THEM," Garrett commanded the guard. He turned to Ward, who barely moved since his arrival. "Come on son, let's greet them at the main hangar."

Before Ward could respond, that same guard interrupted, "But sir, we should really guard Basement G—"

"THEN GUARD IT!" Garrett yelled, cutting him off and throwing him back. "Don't let anyone access the basement! How stupid are you goons, anyways?"

"John, what's so important in that basement? We have to move, before they get here! Let's move!" he urged, also grabbing a gun.

"The Gravitonium, son," Garrett answered, quickly, without looking at him. "I spent too much effort collecting that thing to lose it now. [to guards] Make sure that area is completely secure, off limits. We can't let Coulson get a hold of basement G. I've worked too hard all these years for that for it to take it away from me now. [to Ward] Let's go."

Ward inwardly sighed. _All of this running and attacking, stealing and killing, when was it ever going to stop? _He thought. _And for the record, _I_ was the one who found the Gravitonium. You wouldn't have it if you didn't get my help in the first place_.

The lights suddenly went out in the lab, along with some adjoining rooms to the lab, along with the power. Servers stopped, machines powered down, and the mainframe was crumbling. Ward's heart dropped again. There was only one person he knew who could disable 3 layers of electrical back up and the current power fueling this lab in such a short amount of time, and she was not supposed to be anywhere near this area. He quickly followed Garrett out while not trying to trip over the darkness. He had to think of a plan, quick, to keep her away from this madness. He knew for sure Garrett was not going to let her off easy.

…

Skye ran as fast as she could, stealthily, through the now wide open doors of the New Mexico HYDRA base. She was tasked with distracting Cybertek personnel and disabling the lab while May and Coulson managed to bomb the door open, taking out the main security system along with it and several deadly HYDRA agents. Coulson was on comms, as much static as it held, with her and the rest of the team at all times, while she tracked her way to find the main security system. She was going to find those HYDRA bastards and make them pay for the harm that they've done in this world…especially Garrett.

Her mind was swimming in a flurry of nervousness and determination as she thought back to more of the files she saw on the flash drive. Apparently, Ward was the first subject of Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T., and one of the longest subjects placed in the neo-WWII manipulation experiments. Garrett needed a right hand man to man his stations and various projects (Ward for GH325), but someone who was disposable at any time. So he trained as many recruits as he could find, all with similar backgrounds as Ward – someone with a troubled past/life and easily molded into whatever Garrett wanted, with him as their leader/father-figure. Most of these agents acted as seconds in command instead of plain armed HYDRA guards, to make the best use of them. However, many of them were subsequently killed off "by accident" for their unsatisfactory performance, or their deflection from HYDRA. Out of a list of 40 recruits, only 5 remain – Ward being one of them.

Skye's heart ached for how disposable these former agents were. These agents had families, friends, and though their lives weren't that great, turning them into killing machines for the survival of one tyrannous psychopath with plans of world domination was no better option. _Garret sure does a damn good job of lying_, she thought.

"All right Coulson, I'm heading into the basement level of the facility," Skye spoke into her comms set. "Any location on Garrett?"

"Not yet," came Coulson's voice. "FitzSimmons, keep an eye out as you disable their packing vans and other modes of transportation. Be prepared for medical as necessary. May and I will take out as many of these agents possible to clear the way. All of you, keep your guard up. We need to locate their lab of operations and shut that down before they can move out."

"Roger that," she answered.

"Yes sir!" came FitzSimmon's voices.

Skye turned to Trip who was keeping his gun up while they made their way through the darkness corridors.

"This place is completely deserted...are you sure the lab is down here?" he asked.

"A major blip of frequencies was detected down in this direction before I knocked out the power," she explained, also drawing out her gun. "I can get the power back up to the lab remotely when we get to it, so we can disable it for real."

Trip nodded in response, and they both continued to walk down the dark corridor. Only the emergency lights lining the floors were on while all other electricity was blown. The tense few minutes felt like hours as they continued their descent, ducking around corners on the go.

"Hey! You!"

Skye and Trip turned at the voices. Suddenly, a squad of heavy footsteps pounded around the corner in front of them with flashlights on their helmets, and Skye and Trip sprung their guns up, efficiently shooting the HYDRA agents down. Skye's aim has greatly increased in accuracy and precision over the past couple weeks training alone, sometimes alongside Trip. He glanced over, proud. "Girl, you definitely left a mark in those douche bags!"

She beamed. "Fitz's newly upgraded guns make shooting these guys so much more easy…half the weight but double the power! Let's keep going."

They both soon rounded the last corner and arrived at the end of the hallway where 8 agents were standing guard. It was dark enough that the guards couldn't see them, especially hiding behind the corners.

Skye's phone vibrated louder, alerting a significant rise of energy and frequency waves. "Looks like we're close," she whispered. "It must be behind those doors there. How can the 2 of us take all of those guys out?"

Trip pulled out a flash grenade from his pocket and grinned. "I got it handled." He tossed the flash grenade and instantly, the hallways burst into a blinding white light. In the several seconds that followed, yells and screams of agony were heard as he single-handedly shot them all, each of the guards dropped to the ground. Trip was FAST.

He lowered his gun and turned on his mini-LED light. "Basement G," Trip said. "This should be where the lab is located. Definitely well-hidden." He hastily disabled the locked door easily with another localized explosive device, courtesy of Fitz, and the doors swung open.

"What the…" Skye started.

It was another corridor, but with much, much lower ceilings and doors to rooms every 12 feet or so. Each door was electronically padlocked.

"Looks like a scene from Alice in Wonderland," Trip sarcastically suggested, stepping inside, with Skye following. "Doesn't look like a place where the lab would be at. Are we shrinking yet?"

Skye went to the first door and immediately disabled the lock, swinging it open. In it, a young girl about 10 years old popped her head up. She was sitting on a bed in an otherwise furnished prison cell, complete with a lamp, a small window to the outside, and a bathroom.

"Who are you?" she asked Trip and Skye. "Are you going to hurt me?"

Skye and Trip looked at each other, confused. They definitely were not expecting company, especially a girl this age. Skye knelt down beside her and assured, "No, we're here to take you home. How did you get here?"

"Some mean old man took me here, and told me if I didn't listen to him and stay here, he would hurt my daddy," she said. "I've been here for months. I'm so hungry! And my wrist hurt!"

Skye stood up and spoke to Trip: "This must be one of the victims of Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T., like Elliot. Didn't say in the files that they were in this facility…"

"Doesn't matter, the most important thing is get them out of here…let's go!" Trip said.

BOOM!

A blast shook the compound where they were at. May must have started launching explosions in the compound, and it was only a matter of time before the building collapses. This area is no longer safe. Trip instantly swooped down and offered his arms. "Let's get you home."

"Are you the police?"

Skye nodded. "We're with New Mexico border patrol. We're here to take you home." Well, it wasn't completely a lie.

The girl eagerly jumped into Trip's arms and they ran out the room as the floors shook. More explosions sounded in the distance. Skye disabled all the remaining door locks and one by one, hurriedly walking down the hallway and yelling out, "You're free! The building is about to collapse, let's go!"

For the first time, heads hesitantly peaked out and then eagerly ran out towards Skye from each door. She pointed to Trip, commanding, "Follow him out! Let's go!" She ushered the various victims towards the exit and glanced to the hallway one more time. Her frequency signal was picking up again. She couldn't stop now.

…

"Take them out!" Garrett's voice hollered, marching into the hangar. Explosions were shaking the area, and it was a matter of time before he and the rest of the HYDRA agents in the Hangar were reached.

This was Ward's chance. "Sir, if they're coming to get us, we should just go! Most of the equipment is already packed, and that way we can lessen the amount of casualties." _And avoid hurting Skye and the team_, he finished in his thoughts. "The GH-325 is most important right now to save!"

"Don't be a jackass, son," Garrett said. "They'll follow us even if we make it out. Time to take out the trash." He glanced at Ward, who didn't acknowledge his command. "Did you hear me, Ward?"

No answer.

Garrett grabbed him by the shoulder. "You are going to take Coulson and his team out, or I'll make sure you won't have a space to live in this world when you get back!" he threatened, dragging Ward towards the Hangar exit.

Ward knew that the second he bumps into any of the team, they would want him arrested, shot, or even killed. He didn't care. He needed to get them out, but how, with Garrett tracking his every move?

He had no choice. Shoot him or not, he will have to chase them out, even if it means threatening them. Now if he could just get a few minutes alone to find them…

…

All 4 occupants of the remaining rooms scurried out, with Trip carrying/guiding them towards an escape. The victims being held in those rooms range from the age of the little girl all the way to Trip's age in their early 30's. Skye was about to follow him until she noticed only one door remained unopened in the pack. She turned back and rushed in, eager to get out before the building collapses. As she entered the room, she stopped short in her tracks. She slowly stepped closer to the huddled figure in the corner of the room. "Hey? Anyone home?" she waved.

The young man looked up with his dark eyes, shivering. Skye gasped. He could only be no older than a few years from her, but he looked so weak. She ran in and reached down quickly. "We're getting you out of here," she stated, bringing the man's arm around her to help him up.

"You're working for HYDRA?" the hesitant voice asked, shrinking back.

Skye shook her head. "SHIELD. We're here to take this place down. We have to get you out of here."

The young man uncurled himself and hurriedly got up with her help. He was slightly taller than her, but his eyes went wide. "You—you're with SHIELD?"

BOOM!

Another explosion rocked the place; there wasn't much time. Skye grabbed the young man's hand and marched to the door, dashing through it. "We don't have much time. We need to go, get somewhere safe."

"But—"

"WHAT?" Skye turned suddenly, exasperated.

"SHIELD. Thank God. I've been looking for my family for years, and that son of a bitch told me they're dead. I don't believe him. I need to find them," he stated, limping after her.

"We'll find them when we get out of here," she replied, glancing her surroundings. No guards in sight. She turned back to him. "You doing okay? You're hurt…"

He smiled weakly. "Couldn't escape. Kinda hard not to be hurting after so many beatings to the ribs and knees after getting caught. Although, it's better than drowning in a well."

Skye suddenly froze in her tracks. The familiar dark eyes and hair struck a chord within her, and as she stared closer, she noticed the same facial structure...no. No time to think this now. She was at a loss for words for a split second, but remembered their escape was top priority. "Let's go."

The young man just collapsed to the side of the wall, arm around his ribs and breathing painfully. His falling almost dragged Skye down with him, but she knelt beside him as he breathed heavily. "They hurt too much. I can hardly move anymore..."

Skye took his pulse and felt it weakly pulsing. This guy is in trouble and needs to get out FAST. "We're going to get you some help, but I need you to stay with me okay? Stay—"

She cocked her head to the right and saw two guards approaching, rifles up. She grabbed her gun and fired, knocking both of them down. She reached down and grabbed the young man to stand up properly, leaning him against her as stay tripped their way through the hallways of the compound. "Come on, you can do this," she encouraged. "Just a bit more."

He vaguely nodded and adjusted his weight on her while he leaned, trying to run. "You know, I never got your name," Skye stated, guard up.

The young man smiled at her as he struggled to keep up with her while leaning his weight on her. "Elliot. Elliot Ward."

This time, Skye really froze in her tracks. She instantly turned to him and eyed him carefully, so suddenly that Elliot froze too. Yep.

"Your brother—you have an older brother," she started.

He shook his head. "I have two. The oldest one is dead. I don't know where my other one is. You know him?"

"Not the oldest one," she continued. "The other—"

"Grant Ward," he finished, barely smiling. "He's the one I need to find. You are?"

"Skye," she softly said, examining this young man's features. He looked like a less stoic version of Grant Ward, but still with the same dark eyes, smaller build, and slightly longer hair. A wave of sympathy swept over her as she propped Elliot up and thought back to the things that Grant had told her before about his family, especially his little brother. "Once a pirate, always a pirate! 8858!" she remembers him telling her, though at the time, she thought that was the oddest thing to say between brothers. The 8858 was the combination of their birthdays, she remembers, and Skye had thought was the most endearing thing ever to exist between brothers—is that what having a sibling is like? Those little memories—those were some of the few things he told her that were true, and she wonders if those were the moments he chose to be real, the real Grant Ward, instead of the master manipulator he was. This was the family he so desperately wanted to save and protect. It was too bad that he thought that he had already failed—that he didn't save his brother from the well before, that he didn't check on Elliot and his sister when their house was set on fire, that he didn't save him from that car accident—

The car accident. The thing that Garrett had lied to Ward about years earlier, to solidify his loyalty to him and cement his fate as longer his own.

Not anymore. _Not if I can help it_, Skye thought. _Grant needs to be told the truth, and he needs to see that he still has family, and it's not Garrett…_

Her thoughts were shaken apart as she felt the weakening of Elliot sagging at her side. This window was their only way of escape. In a quick decision, she quickly undid the straps of her bulletproof vest and slipped it around him.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Elliot asked.

"I can't help you out of this compound, but I don't want you to go unprotected," she said, strapping the vest around him. "I still need to disabled a system. [glances at her now increasingly vibrating phone] Go, and get out. [comms] Trip, we have a hostage here that needs your back up."

"But Skye, it's too dangerous!" he exclaimed, trying desperately to undo the straps.

She stopped his hands. "You need it more than me. My team is on its way to get you and me, and I have a gun. Come on, let's go, before the building falls on us!" She shoved him back towards the door as it flew open, half dragging him and half running. Dust and bits of sheet rock started to fall around them as they ran. Thank God that Trip had already cleared the other victims.

Elliot, though he was badly injured, couldn't help but admire this girl with him. She's a pretty one, he definitely admits, but he was more taken aback about her courage. How she ran in to save him, and now helping him out and protecting him amidst dangerous circumstances. _Wonder how she knows Grant_, he thought.

They finally reached the last hallway of the compound before the exit, after what seemed like forever. Elliot collapsed again, but just then, Trip came into view running. This dude was fast, to be able send the hostages on to FitzSimmons safely so quickly. Skye pushed Elliot his way. "Go! I'll disable the lab and follow!"

Trip shook his head. "We're not leaving you—"

"GO, NOW!" Skye yelled, shoving Trip. "I'll be fine. It's in this hallway. Elliot needs help."

"Elliot?" Trip asked. "He's—"

Skye glared, and sensing that she was not to be argued, Trip only nodded and helped Elliot along while keeping his weapon up to take out any remaining threat. She quickly turned back around to the corridor, only to find that half of it was already blown open. She ran another fifty feet around a corner, and _finally_, arrived at the lab and its wall of servers. She reactivated the power and plugged in her flash drive, starting her work. Walls were already starting to crumble from around her, and explosions were heard off in the distance.

Her mind began to swim. _That was Elliot_, she thought, as the flash drive started uploading corruptive workflows to the servers. _Ward's brother. He has to get out…please let Ward find him. He needs to know that he's alive. He's alive. His has family, and he's alive._

If only it were that easy.


	4. Chapter 4 - Misinformed

**Chapter 4: Misinformed**

**Author's note:**Sorry this took longer than expected to post. My original plan was to combine this chapter and the next chapter together, but the story takes a better dive when split up. You will see why while everything is built up for the next chapter. Enjoy!

"Come on, come on, come on," Skye impatiently chanted, as she looked around the lab while waiting for the systems to run the corrupted data.

"We got the vans disabled, sir," Simmons' voice came through the comms. "Agent Hill was able to call in some favors and is sending them in for cleanup. Trip returned with some of the hostages as well."

"Good," Coulson's voice replied. "Trip will deliver the rest. Let's make this place burn. Skye, have you found the main lab yet?"

"Yeah, disabling all systems now," she answered, relieved. "It'll take several more minutes, but be ready for another blackout, to hide our escape. It'll only last 10 minutes, and it will be the last phase of the hack."

"Ready whenever you are," May's voice came through.

"All right, let's do this…shut it down, and get out," Coulson said. "No staying behind."

Skye nodded, even though she knew no one would be able to see her. She knew what Coulson was suggesting—the possibility of seeing Ward, and/or his brother. Thankfully, Elliot is out to safety, and well, Ward—she had to swallow her fear and answer, "Yes sir."

She can't _not_ find him, without letting him know the truth. Maybe not necessarily here, but someday…

"Black out initiated."

…

_Meanwhile_….

The dimness throughout the New Mexico HYDRA base made it slower for Ward to follow Garrett through the hangar. Ward knew Coulson well enough that they wouldn't be coming through such an obvious entrance….question is, where else? And how to get there without Garrett's attention?

And as if on cue to his thoughts, the hangar and the rest of the base completely blacked out—this time, all lights, including the emergency lights, fizzled out. It was pitch black. Garrett stopped in his tracks as did Ward and the rest of their accompanying team, confused yelps echoing throughout the area. "What the hell…_again_?" Garrett yelled.

This was Ward's chance.

He activated a vibration dampening device in his boots and took off running back to the opposite direction. The device was able to block vibrations, muffling out any noise and vibrations to the object that it was strapped to—in this case, it was a perfect method of stealth mode for Ward to sneak away from Garrett and find Coulson's team without his detecting him running off. Good thing he turned on his infrared goggles to avoid knocking into others. The other guards were all still too confused as to what happened, and in the distance, he could hear Garrett yelling at them to reactivate the power to be able to open the hangar doors.

Ward just hoped that this would be a long enough distraction to get him away. He knew there was only one location that Coulson's team would aim for—the lab.

Time to meet his fate.

…

Three minutes into the blackout, the lights of the lab began to die out. Skye was able to keep the lights of only her necessary quarters on while she finishes the hack, but with each light and each server now beginning to power down for real, her nervousness rose. "Come on, let's go…" she repeated, watching the status bars expand to signify the closing up of the hack. Another minute more before complete darkness.

She refused to let herself panic as the time ticked down, her window of escape narrowing with each passing moment. It wasn't a scenario that she hadn't thought about already; she had anticipated that there may be a chance that her complicated hack would take more time than anticipated, but she was confident that Coulson and May would find her eventually for extraction when asked. But the freshness of the recent encounter with Elliot set a course of nervous within her: how will he learn about his brother? Will he see him again?

What if the team gets captured? What if Fitz and Simmons weren't able to maintain their cover as they disabled their modes of transportation AND treating medical at the same time? What if Garrett found Coulson already?

She will not back down, even if was the last one standing. She _has_ to make sure this hack succeeds and her team gets out. She has to make sure Elliot and the others Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T. victims are safe and on their ways to finding their family.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a loud CRACK from above her. She glanced up as the servers completely finished uploading corrupted data and the lights turning off. A large metal beam from a collapsing wall snapped and started falling straight in Skye's direction, just as the lights turned off.

A moment of numbing silence rang, but JUST before she could duck, Skye felt a large hand cup her mouth and her body being grasped from behind. She heard the beam crash inches away from her as she struggled and tried to scream. She was being dragged through the lab exit and the short distance to the outdoor courtyard when she managed to open her mouth just a little, and chomped down HARD on her captor's hand, tasting blood in the process. An aggravated yell escaped from her captor's lips before she was released and spun around, drawing out her gun.

It was déjà vu: being pulled to safety, being protected from danger. But now, Skye stands face to face with the man who had always protected her, and she would never think to have a gun pointed at her. It wasn't how she envisioned encountering him again, though she shouldn't be surprised.

Ward held his gun steadily, though visible traces of blood from her bite were eminent on his hand and gun barrel. They stood still for a few moments in silence, both staring intently at each other without any hint to back down. Skye's face didn't show any shred of fear…no, she had a look of determination and hope on her face.

He tried his best to reflect his "HYDRA face" of cocky anger, but all of Ward's self-control gave way only to pangs of sadness in his eyes. He needed to focus all his energy at getting her out, and it didn't matter in what way.

"You're not supposed to be here," he stated, voice sounding harsher than what his eyes portrayed.

Skye noticed it too. She didn't lower her gun either, and all the angry words she had wanted to say were shut out of her throat, as she just uttered, "It doesn't have to end like this."

He readjusted his gun. "Skye—"

"No, Ward," she replied softly, lowering her gun and pocketing it in her waistband. Ward stared at her, dumbfounded at her decision to disarm herself. She started taking steps closer to him. "You don't' have to do any of this anymore. No more orders to be taken. Even if you want to, there aren't anymore. [glances over at the direction of the lab] The servers for all HYDRA's bases are corrupted."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he repeated. "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you," she reasoned, taking another step towards him, raising her hands up. "I know, you betrayed SHIELD. You killed people. But, I know _you_—you're not always this way. You said someday I'll understand—though I'll never understand why you need to kill, but I do understand that you were in a dire place. You didn't want to hurt me, to hurt us. You did it because of how you owed Garrett. I understand that now."

He blinked his eyes in cautious surprise. "You shouldn't be here," he continued. "You need to go, now! They'll come for you—"

"I don't care," Skye continued. "I came for them. For _you_."

Ward's face scrunched up in confusion. "Them….me?"

She nodded, making a small smile. "I know about Buddy. I know about how you spent 5 years in the woods alone, trying to survive."

Ward's eyes widened. No one, not even SHIELD's file on him, contains this information.

"I know how you tried to find your brother when you first joined SHIELD, only to find out at that time he was killed in a car accident."

He re-footed himself in the ground and his gun jerked. _Stay away from me_, he thought. _Get away from me, please…_

"I know how you tried to leave HYDRA before…because of me. When I got shot you tried to leave, but it was also because of me you needed to stay, to protect me."

Ward's hands started to shake, making it hard for him to keep his gun up. He could feel the stinging of burning tears in his eyes while she spoke her last point, but quickly blinked them aside.

How could she know this information? These were very personal matters that he didn't share with anyone, and no one knows about Buddy except…Garrett. But how did she get this info from _him_?

"You…you know…"

"Yes. I know. I understand now. All the different pain you had to go through, all those dark, lonely nights thinking that there was no end to what you had to do," she said, walking to arm's length from Ward.

He finally completely lowered his gun from her, his arm falling limp to his side. _She knows. She finally understands why I have to stay in HYDRA, why I _need_ to stay in HYDRA,_ he thought.

Skye made a small smile. "You can start over. I know about how you were roped into this project. I know you—"

"She doesn't know anything," a loud voice mocked, echoing through the courtyard.

Ward's panicked face turned, and so did Skye. Walking through the same blasted hallway to outside was Garrett, smirking and holding a gun aimed directly at them both. Ward immediately raised his gun up at him in self-defense while stepping in front of Skye to shield her. He didn't want any harm to come to her; he only wanted to scare her away to safety. But now with Garrett here, things just got a lot more complicated.

"She doesn't know anything," he repeated. "Stand down boy, or I'll end you both."

Step by step, as he walked closer, Ward's insides panicked. "John…"

"I knew something was wrong when you didn't respond during the black out," Garrett continued, gauging his gun closer to Skye while glaring at Ward. "I should've assigned guards to be with you ever since we heard of this team's intrusion. You've been hiding from me your secret plan to free her and the rest of Coulson's dream team this entire time."

"John, please…"

"I told you to take her out. Kill them. I won't let them ruin my mission. They've hidden secrets of the serum from me, and they're going to pay."

"YOU'RE the one who's hiding secrets, Garrett!" Skye spoke courageously from behind Ward. "Don't try denying it."

A long moment of silence persisted before John stopped in his tracks. He pocketed his gun and broke out into a long, hearty laugh, now pacing back and forth in humor. Skye quirked her brow in confusion while glancing back at Ward, who now also lowered his gun. "I like her. She's a feisty one, Ward. It's no wonder you have a thing for her. [back at Skye] Now, enlighten me. What am I hiding?"

"You know very well what you've been hiding, not only from Ward, but from all your project victims," she argued right back. She reached for Ward's arm. "Ward, you brother—he's alive."

Ward froze, fully turning to her. "What?"

"He's alive, Ward," Skye continued. "Elliot. He's not dead. You still have your brother. Garrett has held him in his watch for all these years. Elliot's alive, Ward."

He shook his head, releasing himself from her grasp and taking a couple steps back from her. "It's not possible. I told you this before: he died in a car accident shortly after I met John. He was the last bit of family I want to save—"

"But he's safe, Ward," Skye said, arm reaching towards him. "He's not dead. He was captured by HYDRA while you were in the Academy to make sure that you had no trace of going back to your life before joining. To make you think that there's no one else out there except you."

Ward stopped his retreat and turned to Garrett with shaky eyes. "My brother, where is he John?"

"She doesn't know anything," Garrett repeated, confident as ever. "He's dead. You have no more attachments to this world. HYDRA and me—we are your family."

"Yeah, the family that beats him up after a mission goes south?" Skye argued. "One that lies to protect him? You call THAT family? Scratch that; you never thought of him as family. You were going to execute him as soon as you get the serum."

Ward look back down at her. "What are you talking about, Skye?"

"December 1st of this year," she spoke, never taking her eyes off Garrett. "I found the files that Garrett has secretly logged. You were the first member of his personal mission called 'Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T.', where he recruits young troubled boys to man his projects but can eliminate at any time. You were to finish your mission, and on that date, you were to be executed. By firearm."

Ward's eye widened in shock; Garrett also stopped pacing and carefully watched him. "That's not possible," he started. "John would never do anything like that. He's the only family that I have. He taught me how to survive. He treats me like—like—" He couldn't finish his sentence.

Memories of all these years flashed through his brain. The beatings, the training, the lying to others, the killing of countless people, the orders that he followed to "survive". It wasn't much of a father-son relationship that he had envisioned. Garrett in all these years taught him to survive, whatever the costs.

"**If the job was easy, it wouldn't be any fun!"**

"**Don't forget what the assignment was. Don't forget WHO gave it to you, and don't forget WHY."**

"**Seemed like a good person to eliminate…."**

"**Let me teach you how to be a man…"**

"**You want orders? Get her…"**

"**You can't ever grow attached…"**

"**Cross off them for me…"**

"**Make me believe…"**

"**This isn't a weakness, is it?"**

"**My bad…"**

"**In the end, I'll treat them how they treated me…"**

"**We know the importance about survival…"**

"**Then stop acting like [that scared kid]…!"**

"**It's more of an uprising…"**

"**Cross them off and bring her to me…"**

"**Cross off them for me…"**

"**Cross off them for me…"**

"**Cross off them for me…"**

"**Cross off them for me…"**

He taught him that if it meant you own survival or others close to you, choose yourself and eliminate the threat, the weakness, even if it was someone close to you. _Close to me-like SHIELD. Like Buddy. Like other agents. Like Coulson's team. Like Skye_, he thought. _I was supposed to eliminate them, so I could survive…__**I**__ could survive? When was it about me?_

No.

_It was because so that _**John**_ could survive_, he concluded.

At that realization, he drew out his gun again, with Garrett quickly following. It was such a quick thought process, but so simple. Why had he not thought about this before? He glanced back and forth between Skye and then Garrett, eyes shimmering with hesitant realization. "John…" he started. "All these years, is that true? After me joining you, you needed someone to fight for you, I get that. But in the end—what is the end? When is the end?"

A flicker of uncertainty crept to Garrett's face as quickly as it disappeared moments later. "Don't listen to her! She has no idea of what she's talking about! Now, get rid of her, Grant, or I'll make you pay for it!"

Ward shook his head. "So it's true then. All I ever was to you was a disposable soldier. Like those of the Centipede program. You needed me to lead the pack, but when you got what you wanted, you were going to eliminate me, to prevent any collateral damage in your 'mission'. [angry] Where's my brother, John?"

Garrett shook his head, now sounding desperate. "She's lying about him! About everything! She's just trying to sway you from your mission!"

"She's telling the truth," a voice echoed from the distant hallway.

All three heads turned towards the voice. Stumbling through the darkened hallway and into the courtyard was Elliot supported by a _very_ pissed off Trip. They walked towards them while Trip aimed his gun at Garrett, and Elliot straightened himself to stare straight at the trio.

The cat was finally let out of the bag.


	5. Chapter 5 - Misfire

**Chapter 5: Misfire**

**Author's Note:** Second to last chapter. I couldn't come up with a more creative title for this chapter though. I think every single type of emotion that can possibly be felt was felt by me when I wrote this. Enjoy…?

…

"Skye's telling the truth," Elliot continued, pointing at Garrett. "This sick son of a bitch has kept me here for ages in that dark ass cell."

Skye inwardly sighed. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be worried or relieved at the sight of seeing both Trip and Elliot back here. "Trip, what are you doing bringing Elliot back? He's injured!"

"Yeah, no thanks to this jerk," Trip seethed, motioning to Garrett. "Believe me, I had no intentions of bringing him back here, but I guess stubbornness also runs in the Ward family too."

(flashback)

**Trip settled Elliot into Fitzsimmons' medical van and was about to leave to find Skye, until Elliot jerked up and grabbed Trip's arm so suddenly that it almost made Trip man-handle him. **

"**I need to go back there," Elliot said. "Take me back there."**

"**You're crazy!" Trip said. "You're injured, and you need medical help—"**

"**Please," Elliot begged, wincing has he grasped onto the straps of Skye's bulletproof vest around him. "Take me back to Skye. She knows my brother Grant. I need to find him. Please."**

"**You are in no shape to be back there!" Simmons fussed, turning his head to her while she swiftly checks his pupils for a concussion. It was a good thing Fitz was occupied in taking care of the other victims. "It's too dangerous. Agent Triplett will go back and get Skye. That's final."**

"**No! I'm sorry—I've wanted to find Grant for so many years, and to have heard that he's dead—he's alive! I need to find out where he is—"**

"**You can ask Skye yourself when I bring her back here," Trip urged, shoving Elliot's hand off him. "Right now, the longer you keep me here, the more danger Skye is in, and you might not even get a chance to ask her if she isn't back alive!"**

**He turned to rush out again, but Elliot used all his strength and lunged to grab Trip's waist, yanking out his gun. Trip spun around and was about to restrain him until Elliot pointed the gun at his own head. **

**Simmons shrieked and froze in her spot while Trip tried to reach him, holding his arms out in assurance. "Hey, it's okay. What are you—"**

"**Please, if you don't take me back to Skye, I'll shoot myself," Elliot declared. "I'm not afraid to die, after this many years in torture. But if I kill myself, you guys will have to deal with an unsuccessful hostage rescue at the end of this operation, and it will be all on you."**

**Simmons glanced at Trip desperately, shaking her head. Trip, sensing the urgency of his tone, but for the sake of not losing any more time, cursed. "Oh, HELL! Give me back the gun! I'll bring you back to her. But hurry up! We won't have long until the rest of my team is going to destroy this place!"**

**Elliot eagerly handed the gun back to Trip and latched onto him, jumping to his feet. He fought through the exhaustion and the pain as he and Trip rushed back to the now crumbling facility.**

(end of flashback)

Ward lowered his gun and shook his head, stricken with shock. "E—Elliot?"

He smiled weakly. "Grant. It's been years."

Ward still shook his head. For these many years that he hasn't seen Elliot, he could still make him out anywhere. It was as if he was looking at a similar complexion of himself, just a size or two smaller. He looked weak and tired, but his eyes still shone that same innocence as when he was younger. "It can't be you. You can't be alive—I read your file! I saw your body in the morgue!"

"An induced coma," Trip answered for him. "Made him look dead while he was still asleep."

Elliot took a few more steps forward and released himself from Trip's hold, standing as straight as possible. "Once a pirate, always a pirate: 8858!" Elliot stated, smirking.

Ward visibly caught his breath. That was a phrase that only he and Elliot shared, and no one else, not even Garrett, knew about their code-phrase. Well, except Skye. She was the only person that he ever confided his family talks with. And she knew how important Elliot is to him…

"Oh my god, it IS you!" Ward exclaimed, running forward and grabbing Elliot into a bear hug. "You're alive, you're alive!"

Elliot just as eagerly wrapped his arms around his big brother. "Ow! It's so good to finally find you after so many years. And ow, ow! Not so hard."

"What's wrong?"

"Try escaping this maze without getting caught—then you'll know what I mean."

"I'm so sorry about everything…I can't believe I never questioned everything, or checked anything else after I heard you died," Ward said, solemnly. He took a step back, regaining his excitement to seeing his brother again. "Man, you're almost as all as me! And those same shoulders…you've been working out?"

"Do pull-ups in my room count? Gotta pass the time somehow while I was here."

Ward chuckled. Leave it to Elliot to find the silver lining in everything. It felt so good, to be free from the burden he's kept for so many years: not finding and not saving Elliot. It felt as if he was given another chance at life to make up for all these years lost.

Elliot just swatted Ward's back and grabbed him back for another hug. Neither wanted to let each other go while they cried tears of happiness, rocking back and forth in each other's arms.

Skye smiled at the brother reunion as Ward and Elliot embraced. Her own tears of joy welled up in her eyes as she shall how happy and free Grant Ward looked, nothing like the tormented facade he wore before. This was the man she knew, who loves his brother and would do anything to save him. Here was a man who seemed to have just found his hope in life again. He had never looked so happy as he does now.

The brothers finally released each other, and Ward patted his brother on the shoulders before turning his attention to Skye. He walked over to her and took her hand, lightly rubbing it. "Thank you," he warmly said. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

She was so shocked at his sudden tenderness that all she could do was nod and beam back. A flutter of hope also erupted in her heart too. His eyes lingered its stare in hers, speaking all the unspoken words of appreciation, faithfulness, and hope to her in their brilliance.

Elliot watched his brother and Skye share their moment together, a smile also tugging at his lips. It was clear that there was a special bond between them, and though he can't say for sure what type, he had a pretty good idea.

It's complicated.

Meanwhile, from the close distance, Garrett was too preoccupied fuming and watching his plans crumble to realize that his gun was suddenly twisted out of his hand, knees were kicked to be buckled, and Trip had his arms in a bind. He leaned down to Garrett's ear and spoke, "How ironic that the first move you taught me is the last one to be used on you."

Garrett glared at him. "You little—"

"I wouldn't finish that," Trip said, resting the barrel of his gun to his former mentor's skull. "Because I've improved how this hold can go. One wrong move and you choose between a blown off head, or a snapped neck. You're going to pay for all the crimes you've committed and to ever have you walk through the doors of SHIELD that stained its reputation from day one. You caused so much pain in countless families through Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T. and killed off so many of your recruits that I don't want to know what Coulson would do when he deals with you. [Garrett narrows his eyes at him] And yes, he's alive still. Takes more than just your little HYDRA guards from dismantling us."

Garrett struggled in Trip's arms and tried to move, but Trip just pulled him up and shoved him forward.

"You're not going to kill me?" Garrett asked, scornfully. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity—"

"Believe me, I would've put 2 in the back of your head without blinking," Trip seethed, pushing him along. "And that doesn't even start to cool the hate I have for you. But unfortunately, those weren't my orders. Now, you do your best to come easy, or I'll shoot you in places much worse than your blundering head."

Garrett fell silent. He followed suit in Trip's hold as they staggered towards Ward, Skye, and Elliot, who just finished their moments in reunion. They shifted their attention to Trip and Garrett, and their smiles instantly faded. Ward drops Skye's hand carefully held her back and approached Garrett. It took every fiber of Ward's being to not dash over and personally destroy him. All those years of "training" him, deceiving him, threatening him, torturing his brother, almost killing Skye…he has a lot of scores to settle.

He clenched his fists in his side and finally spoke after a moment of glaring at him. "You may have saved me from juvie, but you almost destroyed my family [gesturing to Elliot and Skye]. Of all people, I would think that someone who's been hurt before knows how to cherish the present. You just used that to your advantage and manipulated a scared young teen to do your evil bidding. I do not ever want to see you, hear about you, or know about you ever again. You may have taught me how to survive on your own account, but they taught me how to live for others. Punishing you like you punished me would be a waste of my energy and my strength. I'll gladly be the one locking you up myself once we escort you off site. (looked up at Trip) Trip."

Trip smirked and nodded; truth be told, he was still very hesitant in letting Ward be in close quarters with Skye and him, but he feels better now that he realizes how Elliot played such a large role in his path in HYDRA. Trip continued to push him past Ward and Elliot, casting murderous threats with his eyes as he did.

But Garrett had more tricks up his sleeve. After a moment of stunned anger, he suddenly sent Trip flying to the direction of Ward, Elliot, and Skye, who all were knocked down at the sheer impact of Trip's body almost 10 feet away.

"Me letting you live after your second deflection from HYDRA was one of the worst decisions I've ever made," Garrett fumed. "I knew you couldn't get away from the girl and the team."

They all groaned. Skye and Ward sat up easily, but Trip and Elliot were unconscious. Ward crawled over and knelt down to the two men, shaking both of them. "Trip? Elliot? Are you okay?"

Skye glanced up and saw Garrett victoriously standing over them with a mini-aerial splicer in his palm, small enough to stay hidden in his hand, but powerful enough to send anything above waist level flying. "How—" she started.

"He made have improved that move, but I created it," Garrett replied, now picking up the gun that Trip restrained from him. "Never underestimate what your eyes can't see."

Ward turned his eyes in time to see Garrett aim the gun at Skye. Without second thought, he lounged and grabbed her just in time before Garrett fired the shot. Both landed on the ground with Ward's arms securely cocooned around Skye, and just as quickly, he drew out his gun and shot at Garrett's hand that held his gun, knocking his gun out of his hand eliciting a strained yell of pain. He pushed himself up and fired at Garrett again, this time in his chest. With pained and angry eyes, he stood watching his mentor crumple to the ground, motionless.

Ward fell to knees and just sat there, stunned. Here lies his former mentor, lifeless in front of him in a pool of his own blood. His mind flashed back to so many memories with this man who he thought was a father-figure, who thought had his best interests in mind, despite his cruelty. But no, he was just cruel.

Skye pushed herself up and recounted the past several seconds. Her life just flashed before her eyes as she stared down the barrel of Garrett's gun right before Ward pulled her to him for safety. She looked over to her side and saw Ward sitting there, stunned and not moving. She crawled over to him and shook him by his shoulder. "Ward?"

No response.

"Ward, are you—"

While still staring straight ahead at Garrett, he uttered, "15 years. I've followed this bastard for 15 years. Never doubted he was tough, but also never doubted he was my savior from a lifetime of doom in jail. Never thought he would lie to me, since my life started off as so much a lie…turns out he was lying all along. The worse one of all."

Skye scooted closer to kneel beside him, watching him carefully. She knew he was in a state of shock, still taking in the quick minutes that had just transpired: him finding out about the truth of his duties, his life, his brother.

After a few more seconds of stillness watching Garrett's lifeless body, he turned to her and finally spoke again. "How…why…"

Skye solemnly smiled. "Coulson found a flash drive during our escape from Cybertek last time. At first he thought it was more useful files from HYDRA, but it turned out to be all the documentation about you, Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T., and all other HYDRA soldiers roped into the effort. I heard your conversations with Garrett. I admit that I doubted you at first, but after watching those feeds and documents, and the setbacks you had to do in order to protect me…I finally understood. He used your mind against you. You didn't even know what HYDRA was when you joined. That's how Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T. started; manipulating people into ransoming their closest fears to a false promise of a better life."

Ward sighed. "How can I ever start over again? After all the things I've done…I never aligned myself with HYDRA. All this time, I was convinced that it was because I needed to save John by finding that serum. But now—that was just one of his disposable projects. (quick glance to Garrett's body) And I just killed him. How is this any different than all the horrible crimes I've committed…? How can you be so convinced to believe in me?"

"I believe in starting over," she reasoned. "I know you can. You hurt me, Ward, but it doesn't mean…"

He reached up and held her face, tracing his thumb over her cheek, as Skye trailed off from her words into silence with silent joy. Tears of happiness shimmered in her eyes as she leaned into his touch. He never thought that he would be able to be in this position ever again, so close to the girl he loves. Skye returned a smile of her own, hope slowly being restored in her eyes as she savored his hand on her face. THIS was the man that she fell in love with: someone who had a genuine care for her and abiding to find the truth he was meant to find.

His eyes glimmered with relief, and a small crack of smile—a rare but extremely charming smile—appeared on his lips. It was the same smile he shown her when they were hiding in the utility closet a while ago in the Hub before the revealing of HYDRA—before their first kiss. Ward found himself again. He was finally free, finally back to feeling his true self, the self he found when he was sent to "spy" on Coulson's team. Grant Ward, agent of SHIELD—not Grant Ward, HYDRA sleeper agent.

"_We_ can start over," she emphasized, calmly smiling. "It won't be an easy road, but you can do it. I'll be here to support you. Coulson and everyone will." She knows Coulson was listening on the other side, though no comment was heard from him. She readjusted her sitting position on her side to lean closer to him as she spoke, her eyes with genuine glimmer. She reached her arm to hold his upper left arm. "I believe in you."

He faintly nodded, his smile growing wider. He knows his road would be a long one, but with Skye's support on his side, nothing will be too hard for him to handle. His heart soared at Skye's emphasis of "we" in her statement. _She hasn't given up on us yet_, he thought. "I know. I finally feel free. I finally have a new purpose in my life. I—"

He was cut off by Skye's sudden wide-eyes jerking from him to her left. Before Ward could register what was happening, Skye threw herself around him and tackled him to the ground. It was then—or right before—he remembered he heard a gunshot. On instinct, he wrapped his arms around her, the back of his head thudding against the gravel from Skye's impact to his body. He groaned in the sudden, dazed pain and tried to push Skye off to sit up, only to register in his mind—_Skye wasn't moving_.

Her small frame remained wrapped around him while he frantically shoved himself up with one hand while the other remained around her. Ward shook her. "Skye…?"

He glanced down and his breath caught in his lungs, making him wanting to hurl. His eyes trailed to the bullet wound to her left of her back, a fleshy hole gaping wide and blood so neatly and profusely draining out of her, soaking her shirt and now onto Ward's arm. He wanted to scream, but all he could was croak. "Skye…! Oh my god…no!"

He glanced up and saw Garrett, barely conscious from the ground here he lay, with the gun now directly at Ward's head. He was coughing out blood from his mouth as he struggled to aim his gun more steadily. "You won't ruin my plans, Grant. I've come too far—to let you and your girl take that away from me. I'm so close—I can only eliminate you both." He set his finger on the trigger to pull it—

-but he never did. Ward beat him to it first. He didn't hesitate to unload his handgun, all 3 remaining rounds, into Garrett as he dropped dead, for real. He dropped his gun, breathing heavily, but hurriedly turned his attention to back to her. "Skye? Please…?" He turned her over. Her eyes were closed, but she was regaining consciousness. "Skye…"

She fluttered her eyelids open. "Ward…" she softly said. "You okay?"

He grimaced. "I'm fine," he said, voice shaking and tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Why? Why did you have to save me? Why—"

Skye gently shook her head, eyes partially open. "You can…start over. You and Elliot together. It wasn't meant to be this way…"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

She coughed, and he propped her up even higher on his lap, his left arm and increasingly bloody hand applying pressure to the wound. _Oh god, oh god, oh god_, he thought, panicking. Each cough meant more blood escaping the hole that has been growing on her body. He wished he was Trip, who had taken medical training; he would've known what to do, but he felt so powerless. "Grant…"

"I'm here Skye," he begged. He knew that in the few times she called him Grant, it was serious…

"…You…me…us," she coughed. A small trail of blood left her lips. With each shallow breath she took, she felt colder and colder. She slowly raised her arm, weight by mounds, to his chest as he grasped it with his right hand. "Too short. Too late…"

"Skye…I've always been yours. Always will be," he spoke, fearing his heart itself would stop before he could say anymore. "You're mine, always be my one and only. My feelings for you—they're real. They always have been." He let out a sob. "I love you."

She dizzily nodded, such a faint movement that she almost wasn't sure she made it or not. She desperately tried to absorb the warmth in his embrace as her body was getting colder with all the blood that was flowing out of her. Already, lights were dancing behind her eyes. Skye blankly, sleepily struggled to stare into Ward's eyes, which were now stricken with grief and remorse. She was moments away from slipping into an eternity away from him. With her eyelids drooping, she felt him lean over and apply a gentle kiss to her lips before pulling away. "We're an 'us'. Always will be. [sob] I'm sorry we couldn't have been sooner. You can't leave me now that I have this second chance. You promised you'll be there to support me. Please….please…" Ward trailed.

"Grant…"

Another choked sob. "Please, please, please don't…" he pleaded, shaking his head.

"…I love you too." Skye whispered, faintly smiling. Her hand slipped out of his grasp, and body fell limp, as her head slumped to his chest.

It took a full second for Ward to realize what had happened. He gulped, unable to breathe. "Skye…? SKYE!" he screamed. He dropped her hand to feel her neck for a pulse; there was none. He adjusted her limp form in his lap and shook her, desperately, gently. "Please…PLEASE….Skye…"

He lost it. He nuzzled his head to hers and cried. There was no holding back. He didn't care that there were footsteps stampeding the area, closer and closer. He didn't care that more and more explosions were creeping nearer. He didn't even notice that Trip and Elliot had just awakened moments earlier and witnessed the last few seconds of their farewell. Ward just held her and wept, knowing he lost his only lifeline to humanity—his one and only love.

He remembers his first confessions with the truth serum…

He remembers training her each day in the cargo hold…

He remembers how sincere she looked when she offered to talk…

He remembers how genuine she looked when she told him he was a good man…

That was how Coulson's team found them. He looked up with his tear stained face when he heard shouts to him. Glares and pained expressions from Coulson and May seared at his face, but he didn't care. Ward was numb, holding Skye, as he cradled her close to him. All he could do was tighten his grip on her dead body, refusing to be pulled away from her. Her blood was now dripping to Ward's pants and the ground, creating an unthinkably large pool of blood. The tears he shed were staining his smoky, red face and soaking Skye's now crimson colored shirt as he looked up, unable—_refusing_ to move.

"Grant Ward, get your hands up! Off to your feet!" Coulson yelled, cautiously stepping closer with his gun poised.

Suddenly, he and May stopped short in their tracks and lowered their guns. The earnest, despaired look on Ward's face gave it all away. Coulson dropped his gun and ran towards them, dropping to his knees to try and shove Ward away, but Ward refused; he only grasped Skye harder.

Coulson fell back to the ground in a slumped sitting position, dazed. Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes as he tried to blink them away. "She wanted you to start over," he calmly said, sighing. "She wanted you to be Agent Grant Ward of SHIELD again."

Ward's eyes, dead in its stare, looked down to Skye. "There's nothing to live for anymore. I finally learned about the truth. I thought I had a chance. But now…[glances up at Coulson] just get this over with. Shoot me. I don't want to be away from her."

"You're not letting her go in peace, Ward," Coulson replied, remembering the audio feeds he heard in the comms earlier between him and her. "She wouldn't want this. This was her choice. This was her final sacrifice. It was for you, for SHIELD, once and for all. Don't let that sacrifice be in vain."

Ward looked down at her again, answering, "I don't want to let go."

"You won't have to," Coulson said, reaching his arms toward him. Ward immediately jerked away, leaving Coulson's outstretched arms in the air. "When you turned against John and HYDRA, you've already clung on to your chance, your lifeline. [looks down at Skye] You got her back, and she got you. If you end your life now, she will never be able to say that you've been given a second chance. Think of Elliot. You just reunited with him, and you want to end your life? She wanted to save you, and saving you was her last act. Please, make it worth it to her."

The sobs started gurgling up Ward's chest again as he stared at Coulson, quickly switching to May, who's expression of solemn anger didn't change. He glanced down at Skye again, who only looked as if she was sleeping in his arms. "I—I can't. I don't have the strength anymore…she was my strength…"

"The strength is in you, Grant," Coulson continued. "_She_ is in you. Your heart. I know you have a special place for her in your heart. Draw from that. Start over. Save yourself from what Garrett would've done—eliminated and destroyed you. Draw from the love she has for you within the place of love you have for her."

The pressure on his chest was so overwhelming that his form couldn't hold anymore. Ward unleashed a fury of tears, sobs, and wails as he collapsed into his embrace with Skye, sounds that no man, no woman, no being could ever fathom imitating. Such pain, utter remorse, and anger echoed through his body as Coulson and May just kept their positions in watching them. They too, started crying, not just for losing one of their own, but finally getting one back.

Fitz and Simmons shortly came running to the scene, only to stop to stare at the unfolded events.

"SKYE!" Simmons screamed and promptly covered her mouth with her hand to quiet the cries. She was about to dart over to her when Fitz pulled her back and wrapped his arm around her, biting his tongue to stifle sniffles from his own body.

Trip sat there, sighing, and for once didn't care if the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes to let them fall. Elliot weakly stared at the events, no bothering to stop the wetness from his eyes that was growing. They knew that this was the ending no one hoped for, one in the honor of saving SHIELD and destroy HYDRA…for good.


	6. Chapter 6 (Epilogue) - Misbrand

**Chapter 6 (Epilogue): Misbrand**

(3 months later)

Accompanied by a squat of heavily armed SHIELD guards in the distance, Grant Ward trudges his way to the Wall of Valor. He shaved and was allowed to wear his black suit, the first time in ages, since he was temporarily released from a detention facility to come to the Wall. It was a new wall now, marked with new names of SHIELD agents since the beginning of the fall of HYDRA in the last year. His attention slowly made its way to the right panel, starting with the year 2015. On the top line, his finger traces to only name he searches for.

Agent Skye.

How ironic that her official term of service as a SHIELD agent lasted only 2 days, but her dedication was her lifetime. His fingers linger on the metal imprint of her name, and tearfully, memories flood back to him.

How thrilled and proud she looked when she got her badge…

How empathetic she was when she visited the Wall of Valor herself for the first time…

How hopeful she looked when she agreed to go out with him…

How gleeful she was whenever she beat him at board games…

How devastated she looked when she found out he betrayed her and the team…

How calm and beautiful she looked in her dying moments, when he told her loved her, and her affirming her belief in him…

His journey was going to be a long and arduous one, and in times that he couldn't feel he was able to take it, he thinks of her. He thinks of her infectious smile, and her last words to him. "Start over…I love you."

He was drawn out of his thoughts when felt another's presence invade his personal space.

"She's an amazing girl," Elliot's voice came from behind him, coming to stand by Ward's side. "An amazing agent."

Without taking his eyes off the Wall, Ward clamps his hand over his mouth to fight off the tears from falling. "She was…is," he answered, voice unsteadily cracking. "She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I didn't love her the way she should've been loved. If only—if only I wasn't such a blind idiot following Garrett, she'd still be here. [turns to Elliot] And you wouldn't have been—"

"Hey, hey," Elliot said, patting his shoulder. "You didn't know. There was no way you could've known. I wish I was stronger to fight."

Ward had to steady himself. He hadn't seen Elliot since that fateful day at the HYDRA base, and it was unbelievable that he's standing there now, cleaned up in a pristine black suit similar to his. "I'm so, so sorry, Elliot," he said, finally facing him. "About everything. From when we were kids, to all the years in Garrett's captivity. You suffered so much. I screwed up everything. You—"

"Okay, Grant, you gotta stop this," Elliot interrupted. His face was full of empathy and strength as he placed both hands on Ward's shoulders. "It's not all on you. Growing up I knew that Maynard forced you to do a lot of horrible things, and Mom and Dad didn't give a crap. And yes, you killed, you messed up, you did horrible things, but you were also manipulated. It's all in the past. You can't undo that. Use it to move forward, not just for me, or yourself…[to wall] to Skye as well."

At this, the bay of tears at Ward's eyes fell. There was no use in hiding them.

"I miss her so much," he said, turning away and struggling to maintain composure. "I don't know what I can do anymore, without having her here with me. She keeps me grounded."

"She died a hero," Elliot continued, his arm around Ward's shoulder. "She wanted to save you. Your boss Coulson told me he heard the feeds throughout that operation. [hesitant, guilty] She gave me her bulletproof vest before you found her that day. I knew I should've tried harder to stop her from giving it to me, but she was so stubborn. I'm sorry."

Ward shook his head, grieved. "No, it's not your fault. It was NEVER your fault. She's as stubborn as they get, always thinking of others before herself."

"And she didn't want us to waste this chance," Elliot continued, cracking a small smile. "She saved both of us. Let's honor her by paying it forward, yeah?"

Ward bit his lip and nodded. His little brother is such a good, wise young man. He collapsed into his arms and cried. He didn't care that the guards and other students of the Academy saw him. He didn't care that his reputation as Agent Grant Ward, one of the best specialists known in SHIELD/HYDRA, was probably destroyed in his outburst of emotion as specialists don't show emotion. And he certainly didn't care if the new members of the rebuilt SHIELD saw him in his current state.

He mourned for the girl he loves lost, his missing years with Elliot, and a life of what could've been. If only he questioned the decisions in his life more, instead of so obediently following. If only he followed his heart, instead of his mind.

If only he followed his soul, instead of his cowardice.

If only he followed his weaknesses, not his indifferences.

If only he followed love, not loyalty.

…

He dreams of her, mostly nightmares of losing her in the beginning months after her sacrifice (he refuses to call it her "death", to preserve her martyrdom). He never forgets (and never will) the feeling of holding her in his arms in their final moments together. But slowly the nightmares begin to change to be dreams: good dreams, and memories of them together. Each smile, each nudge, each joke, each embrace. They're burned into his memory like branding on cattle.

Months later, with Coulson by his side, Ward was finally released from his detention facility and allowed back on the team. SHIELD was being rebuilt at an enormous rate after taking down the New Mexico HYDRA base, since that was one of the core bases for the HYDRA organization. Coulson vetted him in front of the new SHIELD council, arguing that he was a victim of Project G.A.R.R.E.T.T., brainwashed and practically threatened to be a part of HYDRA. With a tracking device on him, he was able to start going on missions again: this time, with a single motive, and that was for S.H.I.E.L.D., what Skye had given her life for. For _her_. He was also able to re-connect with Elliot, whom he was grateful, and their relationship has rekindled over time. Elliot opted to stay away from SHIELD and its associated counterparts, as offered by Coulson, to remain safe and hidden, in case any other lone HYDRA agents come searching for him while the team continues to bring down more HYDRA operations.

The team was extremely wary of having him around at first, and rightfully so—therefore, he had found most of his time down in the cargo hold with the punching bag, and spending time with Coulson. The time he spends with him (as with before, though he was too double-minded to notice) is a drastic difference than what he had spent with Garrett. Coulson forgave his sins over and had taught him that grace was much better than motive.

One night, he walked to Skye's former bunk, still currently unoccupied and contained her belongings. He slowly walked in and fingered through her belongings. Her bunk was largely untouched despite the plane takeover by HYDRA that he had participated in, for which he was grateful. It preserved her scent, her feel. Agent Triplett was to permanently join the team in a month, so Ward volunteers to take over Skye's bunk as he allows Trip to take his.

He sat down on her bed and peered outside of the window, the plane humming its engines in the background. Looking up to the full moon in the dark night sky, he wonders, "How different the ending would be if I didn't leave you in the first place, Skye."

It was Skye's final sacrifice that saved him. It is Grant Ward's first of many acts to avenge Skye and finally become the man he wanted to be.

Grant Ward, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Too bad Skye wasn't around to see it.

THE END

**Author's Note**: I know MANY of you are not happy with the turn of the story as of last chapter. As Jeph Loeb has said in Comic Con, "…didn't see that coming." The last scene in the previous chapter was actually my first idea of the story, and everything else was set up to build to it. Character deaths are never happy, but I wanted to play with the idea of how much can one person's actions be the game changer for the rest of the team and the world. I'm thinking of re-writing the previous chapter to have an alternate (happier) ending…what do you think?

Thanks for reading! More stories to come. Shipping SkyeWard all the way!


	7. Author's Note

Quick Author's Note:

Hi peeps! Thanks for reading this story. Many of you may like a second alternate "happier" ending to this story, so I've created just that in my new story called "Essential Sacrifice". The story picks up right in the middle of Chapter 5 from this story (Final Sacrifice), and is basically a rewrite of the story direction.

Hope you like it and thanks for your support!


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